Advertising device



July 24, 1962 J.R.T1PTON 3,0

ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed June 25, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 James R. Tlpfon36 INVENTOR.

36 BY- is:

July 24, 1962 J. R. TIPTON ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed June 23, 1960 Fly. 5k\ WW wI W 5% w /6 Fig 9 l6 James R. Tipron INVENTOR.

9 E cu flaw EM United States Patent 3,045,375 ADVERTISING DEVICE JamesR. Tipton, 11 Norris Ave, Maryville, Tenn. Filed June 23, 196i), Ser.No. 38,173 11 Claims. (Cl. 443-125) The present invention generallyrelates to an advertising device and more particularly to a signespecially for c mmercial use having changeable letters.

When signs of the type having changeable letters are provided, it is arather difilcult problem to retain an adequate supply of certain of theletters. It is necessary to maintain more than only one of each letterin supply since these signs quite often use several words and quiteoften, the same letter is repeated several times in a single word or inseveral words. Thus, in order to assure an adequate supply of letters,it is necessary that a relatively large volume of letters be maintainedin supply. Realizing this problem, it is the primary object of thepresent invention to provide a sign construction of the type havinginterchangeable letters in which each letter itself involves a novelstructural arrangement enabling various letters to be formed by changingcomponents of each individual letter forming device.

Basically, the present invention involves a frame which may bedesignated as a letter or digit composing and lock-up frame togetherwith standardized insertable and removable components which may begrouped to provide a given ensemble replaced, reorientated orinterchanged with other components for forming a chosen letter or digitconfined within and marginally bordered by the frame members therebyenabling a minimum storage of components for producing a maximum numberof letters, words and phrases in an advertising sign.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an advertisingdevice incorporating a plurality of letter frames word building units,each letter frame including a plurality of removable elements havingcertain char acteristics of appearance which combined to reveal anyselected letter of the alphabet by orientating the various removableelements in a particular manner according to code or key indicia. Eachremovable element is provided with prerequisite indicia thereon and aseries of code cards or other instructional charts with keying indiciamay be provided for indicating the prescribed orientation of thevarious. elements for forming the particular letter or numeral asdesired. By varying the distinguishable characteristics of the removableelements, which are in the form of generally rectangular slides orblocks, various types of letters, numerals or other indicia may beformed by the letter frames.

Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide anadvertising device which is simple in construction, easy to use,efficient for purposes of changing the indicia formed by the structureand generally inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an advertising device incorporating aplurality of the letter frames therein;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of one of the letter frames illustratingthe top thereof in open position and illustrating a group of theremovable slides in position;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the letter frame illustrating a letter formedby the removable elements;

FIGURE 4 is a detailed sectional view taken sub-' stantially upon aplane passing along section line 4-4 3&45375 Patented July 24, 1962 ofFIGURE 3 illustrating the details of construction of the retaining meansfor the openable top of the letter frame;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse, plan sectional view taken substantially upon aplane passing along section line 55 of FIGURE 3 illustrating the detailsof construction of the removable slide members and the guides therefor;

FIGURE 6 is a front view of the letter frame;

FIGURE 7 is a rear View of the letter frame;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of the letter frame with another letter formedtherein as seen from the rear of the letter frame;

FIGURE 9 is a plan view of a card indicating the orientation of theslides in the letter frame; and

FIGURE 10 is a group perspective view illustrating representive slides.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generallydesignates the advertising device of the present invention whichincludes a pair of channel shaped mounting members 12 disposed inparallel spaced relation for slidably receiving a plurality of letterframes generally designated by the numeral 14. Normally, the channels 12would receive interchangeable letters with proper spacing therebetweenand the letter frames 14 of the present invention replace theinterchangeable letters and each of the letter frames is orientated insuch a manner to form a letter as required.

Each letter composing and lock-up frame 14 includes a bottom member 16,two side members 18 and 20 and an openable top member 22. The bottommember 16 includes a longitudinal groove 24 receiving a projection 26 onthe lower end of each of the side rails 18 and 20 and also receivestherebetween a plurality of relatively thin and narrow guides orslot-like guide fingers 28 disposed in spaced parallel relation andhaving rounded free upper ends. Thus, the guides form what may be termeda plurality of vertically disposed slots or slideways. Also, the inneredge of the side rail 18 and also the side rail 20 is provided with alongitudinal rib 30 of the same thickness as the guides 28 thusproviding a plurality of vertical slots open at the upper end thereofand in actuality, there are six vertical slots formed in each letterframe,

The top member 22 is of inverted channel shaped construction with onelower corner thereof being rounded as indicated by the numeral 32 with apivot pin 34 extending through the rounded end and through the upwardlyprojecting end 36 of the side rail 18. The other end of the top member22 engages the upwardly projecting end 36 of the side rail 20 and afastener or bolt 38 extends through aligned apertures 40 and 42 in thetop member 22 and the projection 36 respectively for retaining the topmember 22 in closed position. When the top member 22 is in closedposition, the upper ends of the 7 guides 28 are received within thechannel 44 formed therein since the upper ends of the guides 38terminate at substantially the same vertical point as the upper endofthe projection 36.

Positioned in each of the slots formed by the guides 28 and the ribs 3%is a' plurality of slides each generally indicated by the numeral 46 andeach including a generally rectangular block or plate member 48 beingsubstantially twice as long as it is wide with each side edge thereofhaving a groove 50 slidably engaged with the guides 28 or one guide 28and one rib 30 which define the slots. The end edge of each block 48 isprovided with indicia 52 which may be either numerical indicia,

' alphabetical indicia or a combination of numercal and 1' it may bewhite or any other background color.

In each letter frame, there are five vertically superimposed horizontalrows of .-blocks and the blocks or slides 46 are arranged in such amanner that the colored areas 54 thereon will beorientated in aparticular pattern to form a particular letter with other of the slides46 being orientated to provide a background color. Thus, each of theletter frames 14 may be set up to form a particular letter.

In order to facilitate the formation of the letters, the control cardsor instruction cards such as the card 56 illustrated in FIGURE 9 may beprovided. 'In this construction, the card is provided with numericalindicia 58 adjacent one edge thereof indicating the horizontal row ofblocks and in each row designated by the numerical indicia 58 there isprovided indicia designating the blocks required for that particularrow. The indicia may be either right side up or inverted as illustratedin FIGURE 9 which means that when facing the letter frame, the indicia52 on the top of the blocks 48 should be orientated in the same manner,that is, either right side up or inverted when the slide 46 is insertedinto the slots.

Letters may be formed on either the front face or on the rear face ofthe frame and the rear surface of the side rails 18 and 20 is providedwith a vertical colored area 60 which is continuous and which is thesame as the colored area 54 on the slides 46. This will enable formationof certain letters and numerals which are relatively wide such as an M,W and the like. This pwticular oriencation is illustrated in FIGURES 7and 8 and FIGURE 6 illustrates that when a letter is formed on the rearsurface, then there is no letter formed on the front surface but FIGURE6 does illustrate that both surfaces of the blocks are colored invarious patterns as may be desired for forming various letters dependingupon the instructions set forth in the instruction card.

Thus, by maintaining a suflicient number of frames to fill the length ofthe supporting rails 12, and by maintaining a supply of the variousslides or blocks 48, the various letters of the alphabet may be formedand the various numerals may also be formed. Also, by varying theorientation of the colored surface areas, various indicia may beprovided such as simulated pictures or the like, slanting letters, orany other suitable indicia. Further, the background color may be of anydesired color and also the colored area may be of any desired colorcontrasting or easily distinguishable from the background. Normally, thebackground would be white or some relatively light color while thecolored area would be black or some relatively dark color. As will beevident the block assembling and so-called lock-up frame holds preciselythirty slides or blocks and when the properly coded blocks have beenchosen and put together or grouped in the slideways of the frame, thewhole or finished character (Pin FIG. 3) takes form. Only one letter ornumber can be made at a time. Also the frame members themselves bordereach letter whether the front or back of the complete ensemble is rackedin the manner shown in FIG. 1. The fact that the frame members 16, 18,20 and 22 are of the same cross-section as the insertable and removableblocks, it will be evident that the desired flush relationship betweenthe frame member surfaces and block surfaces is achieved.

It will be evident that these unique changeable character (letter ordigit) frames are made for commercial sign use makes it advisable tostress that by having blocks (60 painted or blank surfaces as the casemay be) varying in makeup in the manner shown is significant in that anysingle letter or single digit can be made in one color on a solid colorcontrasting background within one frame. Instead of having to have fourseparate letters such. as the E in Tennessee, to form that word it wouldbe necessary to have one frame for each letter of the word or a total ofnine frames. The next week the Word Tennessee might be changed to theword Missis sippi which contains eleven letters. By adding an additionaltwo frames and changing the sequence of the rectangular-shaped blocks orslides within the frame the new word can be spelled out. By using thesenovel block assembling lock-up frames there is no need to store 4 or 5additional recurring letters such as Es, Is, Ss, As, etc.

The entire device is relatively simple in construction and may beconveniently constructed of readily available material such as plastics,wood, metal or any other suitable material that would be long lastingand generally free of repair and maintenance.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A composite letter and complemental frame unit for use in anadvertising device comprising a rectangular assembling lock-up framehaving one portion thereof openable, a plurality of slots formed in theframe with the slots opening through the openable portion of the frame,a plurality of insertable, removable, interchangeablecharacter-delineating and representing blocks slidable into the slotsand for filling up the area bordered and defined by the frame, each ofsaid blocks having blank surface areas for forming a continuous plainsurface, certain of said blocks having the surface area for a portionthereof colored distinguishably from the remainder for forming indiciawhen the blocks are arranged in vertical columns and horizontal rows topresent a predetermined pattern.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said blocksincludes longitudinal grooves in lengthwise side edges thereof forsliding engagement with the edges of the slots.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein each of said slots isdefined by a guide, said guides having a thickness for slidablepartially confined reception within the grooves in the blocks, the depthin the grooves in the blocks being substantially one-half of the Widthof the guides for completely concealing the guides when all of theblocks are assembled thereon within the marginal confines of said frame.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said openable portion of the frameis substantially channel shaped in configuration, one end of theopen'able portion being hingedly attached to one side of the frame andthe other end thereof being detachably attached to the other side of theframe, said guides forming the slots having free ends extending into theinwardly opening channel shaped openable portion of the frame forstabilizing the blocks when inserted into the frame.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein each of said blocks is providedwith distinguishable indicia on the end surface thereof.

6. A device for use in assembling any single letter of the alphabet orany single digit; a make-up frame marginally delineating and defining anopening of predetermined shape and size, said opening being spanned byspaced parallel identical slideways open at one end and closed at theother end, a plurality of insertable and removable character-formingblocks slidingly fitted in each slideway in end-to-end abuttingrelationship, means embodiedin said frame for retaining the blocks inplace, said blocks defining vertical columns and horizontal rows, all ofsaid blocks being of the same size and interchangeable, each blockhaving an obverse side and a reverse side, certain of said sides beingblank, and other sides having predetermined prescribed contrasting colorindicia thereon.

7. The structure according to claim 6, and wherein said frame isrectangular in plan, all of said blocks being rectangular in plan.

8. A readily variable sign constructing single letter or digit unitwherein a plurality of standardized sequentially oriented put-togethercharacter-composing blocks are to be assembled and fittingly held toprovide a predetermined ensemble; a block grouping andretainin-g framecomprising a rectangillar firam'e marginally delineating a sight openingto be filled and covered by the ensemble of blocks, said frame beingopenable and closable at oneend to permit the blocks to be manuallyinserted and removed in a systematically planned manner, said framehaving spaced parallel open-ended slideways bridging the sight openingand permitting the blocks to be put together in vertically columnizedhorizontal rows, said slideWay-s defined by coplanar guide fingershaving corresponding ends fixed to a bottom member of said frame, theother ends being free.

9. The structure according to claim 8 and wherein said frame comprisestop, bottom and side frame-memhere, said top member having an endpivotally joined to a top end of one of the side members, the other endbeing separably joined to the top end of the other frame member, saidtop member having a lengthwise inwardly opening channel and the adjacentfree ends 02E said guide fingers extending removably into said channel.

10. The structure defined in claim 9, and wherein said guide fingers areappreciably narrower than the frame members and approximately one-halfthe cross-sectional thickness of said frame members.

11. The structure according to claim 10 and in combination, a pluralityof put-together character-composing blocks, each block corresponding inshape and size to each other block, each block being rectangular andtwice as long as it is wide, the longitudinal edges being provided withopen-ended lengthwise keying grooves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS484,194 Green Oct. 11, 1892 1,722,245 Gautheron July 23, 1929 2,145,946Morrissey Feb. 7, 1939 2,448,667 Gainsley Sept. 7, 1948 2,923,551 PopeFeb. 2, 1960

